Locking mechanism



I Dec. 22, 1936. I c. F.- MEILINK 2,065,142

LOCKING MECHANISM Filed July 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 22, 1936.

c. F MElLlNK LOCKING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1953 Wu" P all Patented Dec. 22, 1936 TES OFFICE This invention relates to locking features.

This invention has utility when incorporated in security and cash repositories or receptacles, and is applicable to cash drawers, cabinets, safes, and strong boxes.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in a safety cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, with the cover removed, of a tumbler lock having features of the invention incorporated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of a look as adapted to the drawer of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the control connections tothe drawer;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the drawer and repository therebelow;

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram; and

Fig. '7 is a detail view of the control switch for the electrical features hereunder.

Cabinet I is shown with door 2 for entrance to a fireproof, safety compartment, door 3 to a money safe, door 4 to a repository, and drawer 5 as a cash or current-use receptacle below deck 5 which may be a platform or table upon which to locate a printing device, say of the cash register type. Spindle i may operate combination lock for the compartment 2 so that bolts may be released and handle 8 operated for withdrawing the bolts and opening the door 2. Spindle l in the door 3 may likewise operate on tumblers to release bolts so that this door 3 may be opened by operating handle 9.

Door 4 is shown as having key lock Ill which may be, say within the control of the attendant at the store or station, and key lock H, which may be operable, say by the traveling auditor, thus to gain access to the repository.

The drawer 5 is shown provided with handle I2 in bearing 13 of the drawer front, on the inner side of which is mounted lock box I 4. This handle I Zhas fixed therewith stem 15 upon which in the box i4 is mounted collar l6 (Fig. 3) having arm I! operable against pin l8 fixed with enlargement 19 of bolt 25, having head 2| protruding from the box 14 (Fig. 5) to engage stop 22, as this locking bolt or latch is normally maintained in outwardly thrust position by compression helical spring 23 acting between guide 24 fixed with the box 14 and the head 2!. It is thus seen that in rotating the shaft l5 (Fig. 3) in clockwise direction, the arm I! engages the pin 8 for retracting the bolt so that the head 2| is clear of the stop 22, and the drawer 5 may be pulled outwardly from the case or cabinet I.

These receptacles may be assembled as shown in the case i or there may be individual units.

Case 25 (Fig. 5) shows the drawer and repository as a unit. Drawer 5 is herein shown including cash tray 26 on ledge 21 having hinge 28 at the drawer front. This ledge 27 is normally retained in horizontal position to support the tray 25 in the drawer by dog 29, pivotally carried by stem 30. This dog 29 has swing-limiting extension 3| which allows the dog toswing upward but not to swing downward. This stem 30 is normally held in position to have the dog 29 sustain the ledge 27 by spring 32 about this stem 36 and acting against ledge 33 to thrust collar 34 on this stem 30 toward guide 35.

This stem 35 extends past this yoke carrying the guides 33, 35, into coil 36 as a solenoid which, when energized, retracts the stem 30 so that the dog 29 is clear of the ledge 2'1 and the tray 26 may swing downward on the hinge 28 for the free end of this ledge 21 to strike upper terminus 31 of incline 38 in chamber 39 having the door 4. Thus the tray 26 is shifted clear of the drawer 5 and when the ledge 2'! is clear of the weight of this tray 26, leaf spring 40 adjacent the hinge 28, is of sufficient strength toreturn this ledge 21, and it may swing past the dog 29 against partition 4! in the drawer 5, thereby shutting off access to the repository chamber 39.

In the box Hi this collar I6 has, besides the arm ii, a' diametrically disposed arm 42. The operation of the shaft l5, clockwise direction in Fig. 3, to withdraw the bolt is not effective with dog 43 to intercept the arm 42. To permit this normal operation for opening the drawer 5, the authorrent from the line 49, 5B, switch. 5| and line 52, i

comes to one side of the coil 46; while line 53 extends to the switch 45, to the opposite side of the coil 45. This is a primary, normal, authorized, safe control circuit.

Alternatively thereto, there is the independent emergency or unauthorized circuit operated by the switch 48 effective through line 54 to energize coil 55 as connected by line 55 to line 5? to the supply line 53. The opposite side of the switch 48 is connected by line 53 to the line 49.

These lines 49, 53, may be of low voltage, say as passing transformer 55 from supply lines 65. The closing of the switch 48 and energizing of the coil 55 operates on stem 5! connected to yoke 62 guided on pins 63, working in slots 54 to shift this yoke 62 in box 65 and open the switch 5|, while simultaneously closing switch 56. This closing of the switch 55 connects the line #9 to line 61 extending to energize the coil 35 for tripping in the drawer 5 to dump the tray 26 into the chamber 39. Simultaneously, there may be setting off of alarm as at bell 68 and visible signal 69.

This emergency condition, besides being brought about by one fumbling the operation at the handle for the drawer 5, also may be given identical attention by a watchman or other attendants at remote positions, say at switches '10, H, which may be variously located at strategic points in the station, store, bank, ofiice or other establishment. This box 55 may be located in the cabinet I, in the cabinet 25 or elsewhere about the establishment. A feature herein is the protection of the closed receptacle whether it be drawer or other repository herein.

At the throwing of the emergency, the electrical release or normal operation circuits are dead. It thus follows, due to this dual circuit feature, there is defeat of access to the various chambers upon discontinuance of circuit, say by cutting the line; that current is required for normal operation; and that an independent circuit may be eifective for such series of alarms as may be in order, even to A. D. T., telegraphic, or police headquarters.

The lines 54, 58, as in the circuit to the drawer 5 (Fig. 4) extend to terminals 12, which in closed position of the drawer, may coact with complementary terminals 13 for completing the circuit for the switch 48 in the lock box I4.

Lock box M for shaft '15 of the spindle 1 is shown as having tumblers 16 with which cooperate dog Tl pivotally mounted on bolt 78 movable in and out of the box 14 (Fig. 2). Normal withdrawal of this bolt 88 is intercepted by the dog 43 as an armature normally held in engaging position by the spring 41. Energizing of the coil 46 may effect withdrawal of this dog 53 to permit withdrawal of the bolt 18 from locked to unlocked position.

It is thus seen that the lock box hereunder is self-contained as to an electrical release for normal operation and that such release may be remotely controlled as by the push button 44; while emergency operation as by remote switches 10, H, may effect de-energizing of this normal release circuit and at the same time effecting energizing of an alarm circuit for the police station or audible or visible signal in the adjacent premises.

The electrical inter-connection as herein shown is for units assembled, and as indicated, may be for separate units only, as even for the drawer without the drop or for the units as distributed in separate or in common interconnection. In the operation of the tumbler lock, the control of the bolt release is not by withdrawing the armature 43 from the holding position as to the bolt 73 but is given attention as the throwing of the tumblers 16 is completed for engagement of the dog 1'! therewith.

An additional feature in practice may be switch 19' normally held open by the pawl 11 being out of engaging position with the tumbler 15. It thus follows that at once the pawl 17 is in position to drop into the tumbler T6, the switch 19 is closed, thereby precluding energizing of the coil 56 to have the armature 43 release the bolt 18, for the switch 55 is open and the switch 65 closed, due to energizing of the solenoid 55 which may thus simultaneously set oil the alarm or alarms. In order that this operation of the switch 79 may not be one to interfere with the authorized operation of the lock in the box l4, switch 80 may be Open at those times when there is to be authorized operation of the lock. Thus the switch 80 may be operated as the switch or H, or at the time when the attendant is away or wishes the supplemental safeguard.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a lock including a spindle, a reciprocable bolt, and a pawl for connecting the bolt to be operated by the spindle, a switch operable on shifting of the pawl into connecting position between the bolt and spindle, a circuit for the switch, an electro magnet in said circuit, holding means normally preventing retraction of the bolt by the spindle, and a release for said holding means, said release rendered inoperative by said circuit.

2. The combination of a lock including a spindle, a reciprocable bolt, and a pawl for connecting the bolt to be operated by the spindle, a switch operable by said pawl upon shifting the pawl into connectable position between the bolt and spindle, a circuit for said switch and means operable by said circuit to defeat normal operation of the lock.

3. A lock embodying a bolt, means for reciprocating the bolt, a movable member, a catch 7 for holding the member against movement, an electro-magnet for withdrawing the catch from the member, and an electric circuit for the electro-magnet including a first switch operable by the retracting means independently of withdrawing the bolt, and a second switch operable by said circuit upon closure of the first switch to render said circuit inoperable.

4. A look embodying abolt, an operator for engaging the bolt to eiTect bolt withdrawal from looking position, said operator including a dog pivoted on the bolt, rotatable tumblers to be engaged by the dog, means normally preventing retraction of said bolt, an electro-magnet for controlling said means, a first circuit for controlling said electro-magnet, a switch operable V cuit for controlling said electro-magnet having y,

manually operable switch means for controlling the retracting means, a second normally closed switch in said operating circuit, a control circuit for said second switch, and a third switch in said control circuit operable by said bolt retracting means.

CHARLES F. MEILINK. 

